In some instances, identity theft will be obvious to the victim. A victim may receive a telephone call from a creditor after an identity thief has opened an account in the victim’s name. In other circumstances, the victim may notice unusual charges on his or her credit card statement or unauthorized withdrawals from a checking or savings account.

Even where identity theft is not immediately obvious, a victim may experience other signs that this theft has taken place. For example, the victim may stop receiving bills or other mail, indicating that an identity thief has submitted a change of address form for the victim. Similarly, a victim may be denied credit for no apparent reason or may receive credit cards for which the victim did not apply.